I Know I Was for a While

68: I Can’t Promise That I Won’t

Lazily trailing her fingertips over the tiles of the bathroom floor, Camila let out a quiet sigh, closing her eyes as she tried to encourage her latest wave of nausea to pass. It had been worse, whilst she had suffered from morning sickness whilst she had been pregnant with Oscar, the nausea the second time around seemed worse, and she was relieved that she had reached the twelve week mark, even if the nausea had yet to start to wear off. She was more than looking forwards to waking up in the morning and not needing to spend time huddled over the toilet.

Leaning her head back against the wall, she took in a couple of deep breaths before she felt something cool against her face, something which caused her to smile gently before she slowly opened her eyes, her gaze settling on Lionel who was crouched beside her, a cool flannel held in his hand. “I didn’t hear you come in” she mumbled, gratefully taking the cloth out of his hand “Where’s Oscar?” she added, her forehead furrowing slightly.

Lionel, who’d shuffled away to perch on the edge of the bath, smiled. “He’s fine” he mused “Your mama got here early and she’s downstairs with him, so I thought I’d come up here and see if you’re almost ready to leave. I’m guessing you’re going to need a few more minutes” he added, a soft laugh tumbling out of his mouth.

Camila rolled her eyes tiredly, but didn’t say anything else, instead opting to lift her hand, pushing her messy dark hair off of her face. Letting out a quiet sigh, she felt her stomach give another turn before she tilted her head back against the wall, taking in a couple more deep breaths.

Lionel watched her for a couple of seconds, his expression softening a little, before he leant forwards slightly, pushing a few more wayward hairs off of her face. “We could always postpone” he mused softly “I mean, I know it’s an important appointment, but if you’re really not feeling up to it, I could call and ask them to reschedule. It’s really Ok” he added, an encouraging smile on his lips.

Camila leant into his touch slightly before she shook her head, a faint smile on her lips. “I’m alright” she mused.

Lionel scoffed playfully, but didn’t say anything, allowing Camila to keep talking. “I want to go” she mused “I’m excited, Leo, and I know you are too” she added.

“I am” Lionel agreed with a small smile “But Mila...”

“I’ll be fine” Camila interrupted “Besides, this is the only morning my mother has off this week and we don’t have another babysitter. Leo, it’ll be fine. I’ll be fine” she insisted, offering him another soft smile.

She knew that he was just trying to look out for her, since they had discovered that she was expecting, Lionel had been more attentive to her more than usual, and whilst she appreciated that he was worried about her, she wanted to assure him that there was nothing to be concerned about, even if that morning had been a bad one. She didn’t think that it was enough for her to cancel the scan appointment that the two of them had been looking forwards to for weeks.

Lionel offered her an uncertain look, wordlessly asking if she was sure, before he nodded his head slowly. “If you’re sure” he mused.

Camila nodded her head before she offered her hands up towards him, something which made Lionel roll his eyes playfully before he took a hold of them, pulling her up to her feet. Holding onto her hands, he searched her eyes briefly before he offered her hands a soft squeeze, something which made Camila lean towards him, pressing a soft kiss against his cheek. “You worry too much” she mumbled playfully as she pulled back from him.

Lionel breathed out a laugh. “You say it like that’s a bad thing” he quipped.

Lionel smiled at her, his expression slightly bashful, before the sound of Lucille’s voice reached the two of them, something which caused the argentine to shake his head. “I should go down and see what she wants” he noted “You’re sure that you don’t want me to call and postpone the appointment?” he fussed.

Camila grinned at his fussing before she leant over, pressing another light kiss against his cheeks. “I’m sure” she mused gently.

Lionel spared her another uncertain look, something which made Camila giggle before she lightly nudged his shoulder, wordlessly encouraging him out of the door. Lionel spared her a crooked smile over his shoulder before he stepped out of the room, leaving Camila smiling to herself behind him.

~#~“Do you want another sip of water?” Lionel asked as he held a bottle of water out towards Camila, encouraging her to take it out of his hand. They had been waiting a little while, with their midwife having gotten caught up with her last patient, they’d spent a little over half an hour sat in the empty examination room, and Lionel could see that Camila was starting to get a little antsy, even if she hadn’t admitted that she was nervous. The way that she kept repeatedly bouncing her legs made it pretty obvious.

Camila, who was messing with the strap of her handbag, blinked a couple of times at the sound of his voice before she looked up, gratefully taking the bottle out of his hand. “Gracias” she mused.

Lionel merely offered her a reassuring smile, allowing a few more seconds of quiet to pass between the two of them before the door leading into the room opened, allowing Tessa to rush inside. “I’m so sorry” she fussed “I got caught up with my last patient and I couldn’t get away. Have you been here long?” she added, greeting the couple with a flustered smile.

Lionel shrugged. “Not really” he mused politely.

Tessa spared him a playfully dubious look before she nodded her head, moving to collect Camila’s notes from her bag. “You look less nervous than the last time I saw you, Leo” she quipped.

Lionel let out a small laugh, trying, and failing, to hide the blush on his cheeks. “It’s good to see you, Tessa” he replied.

Tessa flashed him another warm grin before she stepped towards Camila, gently encouraging her to lay back on the bed which she sat on. “How are you feeling, Camila?” she asked gently.

Camila, who’d gently moved to pull up the bottom of her shirt, shrugged. “The nausea is worse this time around” she mused “I’m sick pretty much every day, which I wasn’t with Oscar, but it’s usually only a couple times and mostly first thing in the morning. It tends to settle after I’ve had something light to eat” she explained.

Tessa spared her another nod before she stepped towards the ultrasound machine, starting to set it up.

Camila watched her for a second before she lifted her head, sparing a look towards Lionel who was watching the midwife intently, his expression slightly soft. “You’re going to cry, aren’t you?” she asked, half curiously, and half teasingly.

Lionel quirked a faint smile. “I can’t promise that I won’t” he mused.

Camila marveled at the soft look on his face before she gently offered him her hand, something he was quick to take a hold of, squeezing it tightly as Tessa begun to run the scanner over Camila’s stomach. Watching the midwife, the two of them sat in silence for a few long seconds before a soft thumping filled the air, something which caused Lionel to breathe out a breath that he didn’t know he’d been holding before he lifted Camila’s hand, pressing a firm kiss against the back of it.

“That’s a strong heartbeat” Tessa cooed gently, smiling at the two of them.

Lionel merely offered her a goofy smile, something which made the midwife giggle, not missing the tears which had been quick to fill his dark eyes. “Baby’s doing well” she enthused “I mean, I want to keep an eye on the morning sickness, just to make sure that we don’t risk things like dehydration, but that’s more a precaution than anything else. Your baby seems to be doing wonderfully” she added warmly before she stood up, wanting to offer the two of them a moment.

Camila spared her a grateful smile as she stepped out of the room before she turned back towards Lionel, gently brushing a couple of loose tears off of his cheek with the pad of her thumb. “Baby’s good, Leo” she murmured, pressing a tender kiss against his forehead.